The following description is provided to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited is admitted to be prior art.
Fractures or other conditions that cause instability of a long bone may be stabilized with intramedullary rod fixation, or otherwise known as intramedullary nail fixation. In this type of fixation procedure, an implant such as an intramedullary rod or nail is inserted through either the proximal or distal end of a long bone into the medullary canal. The rod diameter is chosen to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the medullary canal, such that the rod can be passed along the length of the long bone, while still providing a frictional interference fit between the outer surface of the rod and the surface of the medullary canal. The rod is passed across the fracture (or other area of bony instability, but for purposes of brevity, will henceforth be referenced as a fracture), and due to the rod frictional interference fit of the rod with the medullary canal of the bone both proximal and distal to the fracture, some degree of stability is restored.